Big Data Confirms that Methylphenidate is good for reducing ADHD Mortality in the Long Term

August 11, 2024

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adolescents, significantly impacting cognitive learning and social interactions. Methylphenidate (MPH) is the primary pharmacological treatment for ADHD; however, parents’ concerns about potential side effects, including self-harm and suicide, have posed substantial challenges for clinical management. Professor Tzu-Chi Lee from the Department of Health Promotion and Health Education at National Taiwan Normal University has pioneered research in Taiwan to clarify the relationship between MPH use and mortality rates. The findings reveal that individuals who use MPH exhibit lower overall mortality rates compared to those who do not. Additionally, earlier initiation of MPH treatment following an ADHD diagnosis, as well as long-term use of the medication, is associated with further reductions in mortality risk. Professor Tzu-Chi Lee specializes in biostatistics and big data analysis, leveraging extensive datasets from health and medical databases to provide novel insights for clinical medicine. Using high-efficiency analytical programs he developed himself, and employing methods from epidemiology and genomics, his work frequently sheds light on complex medical phenomena. His research topics often stem from "unexplained cases" encountered by pediatric psychiatrists during clinical practice—issues that lack clear scientific explanations. Resolving these challenges typically requires his expertise in statistical research to provide empirical evidence and support. Over the past two decades, methylphenidate (MPH) has been regarded as the primary medication for ADHD treatment. Professor Lee noted that some physicians have reported parental concerns regarding side effects observed in their children after taking the medication. However, these concerns are not centered on the commonly listed side effects, such as sleep disturbances or appetite loss, as indicated on the package insert. Instead, parents are particularly worried about anecdotal cases they have heard of, such as incidents of suicide or accidents occurring after medication use. The lack of causal research on such cases has contributed to parents viewing MPH use with apprehension. This skepticism often leads to medication discontinuation or interruption, significantly impacting the effectiveness of treatment. In response to clinical physicians' requests for assistance, Professor Lee embarked on a comprehensive study, revisiting and adopting a novel research methodology to conduct a "repeated measures cohort study." At the outset, he accessed Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) through the Ministry of Health and Welfare, identifying a cohort of 68,096 children and adolescents aged 4 to 17 who had been diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed MPH between the years 2000 and 2010. He analyzed the annual dosage of MPH prescribed, and employed a Cox regression model with repeated measures to examine the association between MPH use and mortality rates. Professor Lee further categorized mortality into natural causes (e.g., physical illness) and non-natural causes (e.g., suicide, accidents, homicide). The study revealed that MPH use did not increase mortality from natural causes. More notably, the mortality rate from non-natural causes during periods of MPH use was lower than during periods without MPH use. This analysis confirmed that MPH not only does not contribute to deaths from natural causes, but also provides a protective effect against non-natural causes of mortality. A 2020 epidemiological study on ADHD in Taiwan reported that 8.7% of school-aged children and adolescents met the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, equating to approximately 220,000 individuals. However, when compared with statistical data from the National Health Insurance database, the prevalence rate of ADHD was only 2.44%, indicating that most children have not received proper diagnosis and treatment. This disparity is likely influenced by the stigma surrounding the disorder, as well as parental attributions of symptoms to personality traits or school disciplinary methods. Without consistent treatment, an estimated 60% of individuals with ADHD will continue to experience symptoms into adulthood. The findings of this study underscore the critical importance of early detection and treatment in influencing the progression of ADHD. In addition to examining the relationship between MPH use and mortality, Professor Lee further analyzed the differences between early, long-term use and late, short-term use of the medication. The results revealed that patients who began MPH treatment earlier and adhered to long-term usage exhibited significantly lower mortality rates. In other words, when parents observe temporary symptom relief in their children and request discontinuation of medication, physicians may use this research to support the recommendation for continued treatment and advise parents that long-term use may yield greater benefits. This study not only provides safety guidance for ADHD patients using MPH, but also offers clinical physicians robust data support. However, the research data span from 2000 to 2013, and with the rapid advancement of pharmacological developments, new ADHD medications have emerged in recent years. Future research could extend to analyzing MPH usage data from 2014 to 2024, as well as evaluating the efficacy of alternative treatments. Additionally, investigations into the comparative effectiveness of single-drug versus combination therapies could offer further insights into optimizing ADHD treatment.   Figure 1: Data selection flowchart of this study    This study utilized data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, focusing on 183,480 children and adolescents aged 4 to 17 newly diagnosed with ADHD (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9): 314) between 2000 and 2010. This age group was chosen because ADHD is rarely diagnosed outside this range. The primary objective of the analysis was to examine the relationship between MPH treatment and mortality rates.   Between 2000 and 2010, MPH was the primary medication used for treating ADHD in Taiwan. Atomoxetine was approved for use in Taiwan in 2007; however, its prescription rate was much lower than that of MPH, accounting for only 4% of all ADHD patients. As a result, this study excluded participants who were prescribed Atomoxetine.   To better control for the influences of gender, birth year, and the year of initial ADHD diagnosis, the research team used exact matching to select a control group of 68,096 children and adolescents who were not prescribed MPH, but matched the MPH group in terms of gender, birth year, and ADHD diagnosis year. Both groups were followed from the study baseline (the date of the first MPH prescription) until death, migration, or the end of the observation period on December 31, 2013. The flowchart systematically illustrates the process of exclusion and selection of study participants, establishing two comparable study groups—those who used MPH and those who did not—balanced in terms of gender, birth year, and ADHD diagnosis year, for subsequent analysis. (This article was provided by The Center of Public Affairs.)   Source: Chen, V. C. H., Chan, H. L., Wu, S. I., Lu, M. L., Dewey, M. E., Stewart, R., & Lee, C. T. C. (2022). Methylphenidate and mortality in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: Population-based cohort study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 220(2), 64-72. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2020.129   

How two-dimensional nano materials can help perovskite solar cells

July 08, 2024

　　Traditional solar cells primarily use silicon as its main material. However, with rapid advancements in technology, perovskite solar cells—a third-generation technology with lower costs and shorter production times—are now considered the most promising alternative to silicon-based solar cells. Professor Wen-Chin Lin of the Department of Physics at National Taiwan Normal University leads a research team that is actively exploring the potential of perovskite materials. They are attempting to combine ferromagnetic metals with perovskite, but achieving a stable bond between these two distinct materials presents a significant challenge. To overcome this, the team has successfully used two-dimensional materials to address surface tension issues, offering new insights into semiconductor material research.  　　Dr. Lin's research expertise lies in magnetism and surface physics. In recent years, he has focused on reversible hydrogenation of magnetic materials, the physical properties of novel two-dimensional materials, and the fabrication and analysis of spintronic devices. His award-winning paper is part of a series of interdisciplinary studies that combine ferromagnetic metals with two-dimensional materials.  　　In recent years, scientists have attempted to harness the spin properties of electrons in ferromagnetic metals while enabling perovskite materials to effectively control electron flow, maximizing the advantages of both substances. However, achieving uniform contact between these two fundamentally different materials while controlling the interface quality has been a significant challenge. The research team faced considerable difficulty in preventing negative interactions between the ferromagnetic layer and the perovskite layer, which could otherwise compromise the overall performance.  　　To effectively merge the two materials and achieve a synergistic "one plus one is greater than two" effect, the research process demonstrated the truth of the saying "the first step is always the hardest." Dr. Lin explained that the team initially believed that simply applying a perovskite solution onto the metal surface would allow them to observe the materials' properties. However, when using a spin-coating machine to combine the two substances, the perovskite solution struggled to overcome surface tension. It behaved like water droplets on glass, scattering in all directions under high-speed rotation and failing to spread evenly. Overcoming this technical challenge took considerable effort in the early stages of the research.  　　When the original materials failed to stack as expected, the research team expanded their approach by testing various magnetic metals. Despite repeated failures, they were unable to resolve the surface tension issue. The breakthrough came when they inserted an ultra-thin heterointerface, consisting of a 1-2 nanometer aluminum oxide layer or a monolayer of graphene, between the perovskite and metal films. By placing this oxide or two-dimensional material (graphene) between the metal and perovskite layers, the heterointerface acted as a "nano-adhesive," successfully bonding the two materials.  　　Using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, the research team observed that the organic perovskite successfully formed a continuous, dense, and gap-free thin film, with surface roughness fluctuations within just a few nanometers. The perovskite solution was uniformly spread across the surface of the magnetic metal, confirming that the nanoscale oxide and graphene layers effectively improved the surface tension issues. 　　This research successfully addressed the interfacial challenges of perovskite-metal heterostructures, paving the way for new developments in the application of spintronic devices. Moreover, it represents a notable example of interdisciplinary collaboration. In addition to working with Professor Yu-Chiang Chao from NTNU's Department of Physics, the team also collaborated with Professor Ya-Ju Li from National Cheng Kung University. Both perovskite and magnetism experts contributed their expertise, further enhancing the study's impact.  　　Dr. Lin explained that this paper focuses on the fundamental properties of heterojunctions between two materials, characterizing it as "basic research." In the future, he aims to explore device-oriented applications of this research. He also noted that as more two-dimensional materials are developed, each new material brings unique properties. By combining and organizing these materials, many new discoveries can be made, and opportunities for interdisciplinary research will only continue to increase.  　　Additionally, the research team discovered that direct contact between perovskite and metal surfaces leads to challenges involving chemical reactions. The oxidation-reduction interactions between the two materials can degrade their properties, creating an "inactive layer" at the interface. However, the honeycomb structure of graphene prevents metal atoms from penetrating and interacting with the perovskite, effectively avoiding the formation of this magnetic "dead layer." Furthermore, the excellent electrical conductivity of graphene ensures that spintronic currents can still flow through the perovskite-metal heterostructure. The team is now focused on expanding this research towards multifunctional device applications as a new direction for future studies.  　　The research team spent approximately one year from setting the research topic to overcoming experimental challenges. Dr. Lin noted that the wave of interest in perovskite materials has made research in this field highly competitive. Once experimental data with unique findings are generated, it is crucial to publish the research quickly. Despite this, the semiconductor industry is still dominated by silicon. For perovskite to become a widely used material in the semiconductor industry, further exploration of various viable applications is needed. (This article was provided by The Center of Public Affairs.)     Source: Liu, S. Y., Lin, Z. E., Wu, B. T., Chen, T. H., Hung, H. C., Yin, C. H., Hsieh, C. T., Liu, C. M., Liaw, L. J., Hsu, S. Y., Chang, P. C., Chao, Y. C., & Lin, W. C. (2022). Improvement from discrete to uniform wetting of organic perovskite on ferromagnetic metals through a heterointerface. Applied Surface Science,601, Article 154180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.154180 

How gender ideologies affect climate change and carbon reduction

July 08, 2024

　　Climate change is becoming increasingly severe. To date, over 130 countries worldwide have declared net-zero emissions goals by 2050. Taiwan followed suit in 2021, announcing its commitment to the goal, and launching several strategic plans to demonstrate its determination to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Dr. Li-San Hung, an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), has long focused on how family interactions influence disaster prevention behaviors. One of his studies explores the relationship between gender ideologies and motivations for climate change mitigation. When considering individuals' biological sex and marital status, the relationship between these factors becomes quite complex.  　　Dr. Hung specializes in the human dimensions of natural disasters and household disaster preparedness behaviors. During his doctoral studies at Pennsylvania State University, he developed a strong interest in how interactions among family members influence disaster preparedness behaviors at the household level. He notes that most social science studies focus on individuals. However, because a family consists of multiple individuals, the household decisions often require collaboration and negotiation among its members, including spouses and children. Therefore, when exploring family behaviors, interviewing only the head of the household may not give a complete picture.  　　Dr. Hung's first paper on household disaster preparedness behaviors focused on the relationship between decision-making within married heterosexual couples and their behaviors when facing an impending hurricane. During his doctoral studies, he conducted interviews with several heterosexual couples in Florida. One wife mentioned, “When a hurricane is coming, I start moving the important stuff to the second floor, like copies of our driver's licenses and marriage certificate...” Her husband responded, “Wow, I completely forgot about that!” When the wife saw her husband moving the patio furniture indoors, she thought, “That’s right, that's exactly what you should be doing.” These everyday disaster preparedness behaviors within households reflect how family members perceive and enact their gender roles.  　　This paper became a foundational study in the research on household disaster preparedness behaviors, leading to numerous follow-up studies. After returning to teach at NTNU, Dr. Hung shifted his focus to the disaster prevention behaviors of households in Taiwan. In recent years, he has also expanded his research into the field of climate change mitigation. He noted that with the growing global emphasis on climate change, governments worldwide are advocating for climate change mitigation and net-zero transitions. People are being encouraged to adopt more climate change mitigation behaviors. Through his research, he aims to understand how individuals and families incorporate these behaviors into their daily lives.  　　Given that gender ideologies are related to household division of labor, which in turn affects a family's climate change mitigation behaviors, Dr. Hung’s award-winning 2022 study explored this connection. He collaborated with Dr. Mucahid Mustafa Bayrak, a Dutch associate professor in the department, on this research. The study involved telephone interviews and the use of a gender ideology attitude scale to categorize respondents' gender ideologies into traditional or egalitarian views. They also inquired about the respondents’ willingness to change their behaviors to mitigate climate change. Through quantitative analysis, the study sought to further understand the relationship between gender ideologies and the intention to adopt climate change mitigation  behaviors. 　　For example, one of the questions in the survey asked respondents to rate their agreement with the following statement: “A man’s job is to earn money; a woman’s job is to look after the home and the family.” Those who agreed with this statement were categorized as holding traditional gender role views, while those who disagreed were classified as holding egalitarian gender views.  　　The survey results indicated that a high proportion of respondents, regardless of whether they held traditional or egalitarian views, expressed a willingness to change their behavior to mitigate climate change. However, the relationship between different gender ideologies and the intention to adopt climate change mitigation behaviors was quite complex. When the sample was divided by gender and marital status into four groups—unmarried men, unmarried women, married men, and married women—it was found that the same gender ideology indicator had different relationships with the intention to engage in climate change mitigation behaviors across these groups.  　　The statistical results also revealed that, after accounting for other relevant factors, unmarried individuals with egalitarian views on gender roles had a higher intention to engage in climate change mitigation behaviors. Interestingly, for married women, those who held traditional gender role views demonstrated a higher intention to adopt climate change mitigation behaviors. In contrast, for married men, their views on this particular gender role question did not show any significant relationship with their intention to change climate change mitigation behaviors. These findings highlight the complexity of the relationship between gender ideologies and the intention to adopt climate change mitigation behaviors.  　　Despite Taiwan's progress toward gender equality, Dr. Hung points out that other surveys indicate a high proportion of household chores continue to be performed by women, who are often expected to focus on pregnancy and childbirth, with maternity leave predominantly taken by women. Since many married women are primarily responsible for household tasks, they may naturally start considering how to save energy, properly sort waste, and turn off lights—practices that are environmentally friendly. These factors might explain why married women who agree with the statement “A man’s job is to earn money; a woman’s job is to look after the home and the family” tend to have higher motivation for engaging in climate change mitigation behaviors.  　　Dr. Hung also mentioned another possible explanation: age or generational differences. Since married women, on average, tend to be older than unmarried women, these older women are more likely to retain traditional gender role attitudes.  　　Since this study, Dr. Hung has continued to focus his research efforts on understanding how interactions among family members influence disaster prevention behaviors. His research explores factors within household communication and interaction that impact climate change adaptation behaviors, as well as the relationship between family decision-making and climate change mitigation actions. Recently, he has employed advanced statistical methods to investigate whether conceptual alignment between spouses promotes climate change mitigation behaviors. Through this series of studies, Dr. Hung hopes that the findings will help people understand how to encourage climate change mitigation behaviors within families. (Interview and article by the University's Center of Public Affairs).   Source: Hung, L. S., & Bayrak, M. M. (2022). Taking gender ideologies seriously in climate change mitigation: a case study of Taiwan. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 14(2), 218-236. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-06-2021-0061

New Technology Proves Key to Parkinson's Disease Treatment

June 09, 2024

　　Taiwan has approximately 50,000 to 100,000 Parkinson's disease patients, but there is currently no cure. Levodopa is an important medication for treating Parkinson's disease, but its concentration is difficult to control. When the concentration is too high, it can cause side effects such as nausea and vomiting. A research team led by Professor Yi-Chun Yeh from the Department of Chemistry at National Taiwan Normal University has developed a new thermostable enzyme derived from the thermophilic bacterium Streptomyces sclerotialus. Using a red fluorescent signal, this enzyme can detect the presence of levodopa in just 30 minutes, potentially improving the safety of levodopa treatment.  　　Parkinson's disease, which predominantly affects individuals over 60 years old, is a movement disorder characterized by the rapid degeneration of cells in the basal ganglia and substantia nigra regions of the brain. These cells are responsible for producing an essential neurotransmitter called dopamine. When these cells degenerate, they fail to produce sufficient dopamine, leading to various motor symptoms. To compensate for the deficiency, dopamine precursor "levodopa" is administered because dopamine itself cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. Once converted to dopamine by enzymes in the brain, it effectively alleviates symptoms. It is currently recognized as the most effective treatment for Parkinson's disease.  　　Professor Yi-Chun Yeh's laboratory specializes in synthetic biochemistry, particularly focusing on neurotransmitters associated with Parkinson's disease. Unlike conventional chemistry, which involves synthesizing small molecules in bulk, synthetic biochemistry utilizes organisms like bacteria, leveraging their self-replicating capabilities to transform them into useful substances. This method eliminates the need to repeat reactions from scratch for each experiment.  　　Generally, doctors prescribe different dosages of levodopa based on the patient's weight and age, but individual variations in metabolism make it difficult to monitor levodopa concentrations effectively. With the advent of "personalized medicine," Yeh explains that the laboratory aims to develop low-cost, real-time detection tools to enable Parkinson's disease patients to have their medication concentrations monitored immediately. However, it is impractical for patients to cultivate bacteria at home, and the chemical structure of dopamine is very similar to that of levodopa, making it technically challenging to differentiate and detect these structurally similar substances.  　　However, without "pretreatment" of dopamine and levodopa, concentration detection can easily be distorted. The research team has successfully applied a novel thermostable enzyme from the thermophilic bacterium Streptomyces sclerotialus, specifically 2,3-Dopa-dioxygenase, for the first time in levodopa monitoring. This enzyme serves as an ideal tool for developing protein- and cell-based biosensors.  　　The laboratory has developed a continuous analysis method using dual-color fluorescent signals, which enables highly sensitive detection of dopamine and levodopa, even when both are present. This approach overcomes the challenge of traditional detection methods in distinguishing structurally similar molecules. By utilizing red fluorescent signals, they have successfully circumvented previous extraction difficulties and can now detect levodopa within just 30 minutes. This real-time monitoring capability holds promise for providing Parkinson's disease patients undergoing levodopa treatment with more immediate, effective, and safe screening options.  　　Dr. Yeh reflected that the research journey from initial conception to achieving research outcomes took her team at least five years. Each study involved significant time investments, and any error at any stage could lead to experimental failure. Therefore, much time was dedicated to overcoming setbacks, trial and error, and adjusting experimental methods along the way. She noted that this research was a collaborative effort involving multiple cohorts of master's students, and the amount of time and effort expended can hardly be quantified.  　　Yeh said that this research aims to provide a diagnostic tool for clinical healthcare, enhancing monitoring of Parkinson's disease treatment and potentially significantly improving patients' quality of life. However, the tool has not yet reached the clinical application stage. Currently, testing is being conducted using bovine and equine serum, as well as commercially available artificial urine. Nevertheless, the system's robustness and applicability have been successfully validated in serum samples.  　　Yeh also said that with over a quarter of Taiwan's counties and cities entering super-aged society, if the laboratory's proposed basic detection tool proves feasible, it could indeed offer Parkinson's disease patients a more cost-effective, user-friendly, and safe method for concentration monitoring. This advancement not only holds promise for improving patient quality of life, but also paves the way for new directions in clinical applications of enzyme-based biosensors.  (This article was provided by The Center of Public Affairs.)   Source：Chang, C. W., Lin, Y. H., Tsai, C. H., Kulandaivel, S., & Yeh, Y. C.(2022).Sequential detection of dopamine and L-DOPA by a 2,3-dopa-dioxygenase from Streptomyces sclerotialus.Analytica Chimica Acta, 1202, 339641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2022.339641

Can Immersive Virtual Reality enhance learning?

June 09, 2024

　　In recent years, immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology has made significant advancements. People can now simply put on a headset and be transported to a different world. However, previous research on the effectiveness of virtual reality in enhancing student learning has primarily focused on its affordance to improve spatial abilities, experiential learning, intrinsic motivation, and engagement. Silvia Wen-Yu Lee, a distinguished professor at the Graduate Institute of Information and Computer Education at National Taiwan Normal University, led a research team to further analyze the impact of IVR and concept maps as advanced organizers on elementary school students' science learning.  　　Wen-Yu Lee specializes in science education, educational technology, and digital learning. Reflecting on her motivation for this research, she has been interested on virtual technology since 2012. Collaborating with professors in related fields, she conducted a systematic literature review and found that the available literature about augmented reality and virtual reality was limited and that this field was less developed compared to other educational technology research areas. Despite the extensive discussion of augmented reality and virtual reality over the past five years, there are still many unresolved questions in existing research about how to effectively integrate new technologies with educational materials to achieve educational objectives. 　　 "Can virtual reality enhance student learning?" became the central question driving the research team. Five years ago, Silvia Wen-Yu Lee led her first project related to virtual reality, funded by the National Science and Technology Council. In her first study, a total of 74 sixth-grade students participated in the study, where they were randomly assigned to either the advanced organizer group (experimental group) or the non-advanced organizer group (control group). The study aimed to evaluate students' understanding of plant concepts through a science test.  　　The primary goal of the research was to examine the structural relationships between students' cognitive curiosity and affective factors, including presence, control and active learning, positive learning emotional engagement, and negative learning emotional engagement. Additionally, the study aimed to analyze the learning outcomes of the experimental and control groups. Data analysis was conducted using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). To ensure the quality and safety of the user experience, students engaged in the virtual reality learning activities in small groups of four to six at a time. 　　In the experimental group, teachers introduced students to advanced organizers and concept maps, providing an overview of the knowledge they were about to learn and explaining how to operate the VR equipment. Conversely, the control group students did not receive any explanation of the advanced organizers; they only received instructions on how to use the VR equipment before beginning the practical activities. The results showed that students in the experimental group scored significantly higher on science concepts compared to those in the control group. 　　In addition to investigating learning outcomes, the research team explored the connection between learning and curiosity. Silvia Wen-Yu Lee explained that educational psychology defines learning curiosity in two ways: one is the desire to learn because of not knowing (deprivation-type curiosity), and the other is the desire to learn because of interest (interest-type curiosity). The research team was curious about whether the question "What do I not know yet?" plays a role in learning when children engage with emerging technologies. They aimed to further explore the interactions between these two types of learning curiosity and the presence or absence of advanced organizers. 　　The results showed that learners with high interest-type curiosity experienced a profound sense of presence in virtual reality, along with more positive learning emotions, a stronger sense of control, and increased motivation for active learning. In scenarios with advanced organizers, deprivation-type curiosity did not lead to any significant enhancement in emotional factors, nor did it significantly predict learning outcomes. However, in environments without advanced organizers, students with high deprivation-type curiosity exhibited greater positive learning emotional engagement. 　　Notably, the research team found that while positive emotions experienced by students using VR can lead to positive learning outcomes in science, a high sense of presence can have a negative impact on learning. Silvia Wen-Yu Lee pointed out that the study revealed a counterintuitive result: "High presence correlates with low learning outcomes." Upon further examination of the literature, it was found that presence in virtual reality is a double-edged sword. While presence draws students to use VR and sparks their interest, a high level of presence can cause students to focus solely on what interests them and the immersive experience itself, hindering cognitive benefits. 　　Silvia Wen-Yu Lee believes that when students experience a high sense of presence in virtual reality without corresponding learning benefits, it is essential to reconsider the purpose and effectiveness of using VR in education. In other words, if the goal is merely to foster positive emotions and motivation through VR, designing for high presence can be beneficial. However, for educational applications that aim for deep thinking and learning, the design of presence needs to be balanced. Educators may need to reconsider the level of presence or provide additional instructional support to ensure that students achieve their learning objectives while still benefiting from the immersive experience. 　　In primary and secondary education, a growing number of schools are allocating budgets to purchase virtual reality equipment. However, VR involves not only the high cost of hardware, but also significant expenses to optimize software. Silvia Wen-Yu Lee pointed out that there are now many paid and even free platforms that allow teachers to create their own teaching materials. She emphasized that more important than cost is for teachers to consider whether the content of the materials genuinely aids student learning and enhances learning outcomes through virtual reality. (This article was provided by The Center of Public Affairs.)   Figure 1: Student using VR   Source：Lee, S. W. Y., Hsu, Y. T., & Cheng, K. H. (2022). Do curious students learn more science in an immersive virtual reality environment? Exploring the impact of advance organizers and epistemic curiosity. Computers &Education, 182, 104456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104456

Feeling anxious and down? Try Mindfulness and Relaxation Practices!

November 12, 2023

(Provided by Professor Yu-Kai Chang and his team from the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences) Elite athletes continuously face high levels of pressure, leading to frequent experiences of anxiety, tension, and unease. These negative psychological states adversely affect athletic performance, making the mental health of athletes a critical area of concern. Identifying effective psychological strategies to improve both mental health and athletic performance has thus become a noteworthy issue within the field of sport psychology.  To investigate the benefits of different psychological strategies on athletes’ mental health and the potential underlying neural processes, a research team lead by Dr. Yu-Kai Chang conducted a randomized crossover experimental design involving 35 track and field athletes. The study compared the immediate effects of a single 30-minute session of guided mindfulness practice versus passive self-guided muscle relaxation practice on anxiety, and positive and negative emotions. From an electroencephalographical perspective, the study analyzed the neural processing mechanisms during different forms of psychological strategies. The results indicated that, compared to aimless rest, athletes engaged more cognitive resources in the prefrontal cortex during both guided mindfulness and self-guided relaxation practices, significantly reducing their negative psychological states post-practice. This research provides a basis for athletes to choose appropriate psychological strategies, enabling them to effectively improve mental health and personal performance during training and competition.   Challenges Faced by Elite Athletes Since the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the issue of mental health in athletes has garnered increasing attention from the public. As time progresses and the intensity of competitive sport rises, the pressures on athletes continue to escalate. In addition to rigorous training and high-stakes competitions, athletes frequently confront various stressors, including financial concerns, interpersonal relationships, media scrutiny, injury rehabilitation, and academic responsibilities for student-athletes. Notably, athletes are often expected to discard traits such as weakness or fear, and display instead physical strength and mental resilience. Such stereotypes inadvertently exacerbate the underlying stress athletes experience. Consequently, maintaining the mental health of athletes has become crucial for modern sports development.   Psychological Strategies for Enhancing Performance and Mental Health  “Psychological skill training” (PST; e.g., relaxation training, self-talk, imagery training) is currently the most commonly used psychological intervention strategy among athletes in the competitive field to enhance both performance and mental health. Recently, increasing research attention has been directed towards the benefits of “mindfulness-based interventions” (MBI), a novel psychological skill training method. However, there remains considerable debate and room for exploration regarding which approach yields the best outcomes for improving mental health and enhancing athletic performance. Comparing the immediate effects of MBI and PST on psychological states can provide direct insights into the practical benefits of each method, thereby aiding athletes in their selection of psychological strategies. Moreover, the potential differences in brain state changes during the implementation of these two psychological strategies warrant further investigation. To address these questions, Dr. Chang’s team embarked on a study, with the findings published in 2023 in the journal, Psychology of Sport and Exercise.   Say Goodbye to Anxiety and Negative Emotions with Focused and Properly Applied Psychological Strategies This randomized crossover trial revealed that athletes who engaged in a 30-minute session of either guided mindfulness practice or self-guided relaxation practice experienced a more immediate reduction in anxiety and negative emotions compared to when they aimlessly rested with their eyes closed for 30 minutes. During both guided mindfulness and self-guided relaxation, an increase in theta waves in the prefrontal cortex was observed (Figure 1). This indicates that athletes recruited more cognitive resources during these brief psychological strategies, which helped them cope with their negative psychological states. The results of this study provide preliminary evidence comparing MBI and PST, suggesting that athletes can effectively improve their immediate mental health through focused and proper application of either mindfulness meditation or passive self-guided muscle relaxation. By doing so, they can continuously perform at their best in competitive sports.   Figure 1: Compared to aimless rest, athletes exhibited increased frontal theta wave activation during both guided mindfulness and relaxation practices. This suggests that athletes, by focusing on the guidance provided during these practices, continuously recruited more cognitive resources.   Source: Nien, J. T., Gill, D. L., Chou, T. Y., Liu, C. S., Geng, X., Hung, T. M., & Chang, Y. K. (2023). Effect of brief mindfulness and relaxation inductions on anxiety, affect and brain activation in athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 67, 102422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102422

Applying the engineering design process to enhance preservice technology teachers’ engineering design thinking

October 08, 2023

(Provided by Professor Kuen-Yi Lin and his team from the Department of Technology Application and Human Resource Development)  The implementation of STEM education often overlooks the aspects of technology and engineering, leading to ongoing challenges in nurturing talent in these fields (Strimel & Grubbs, 2016). Addressing this issue, Song et al. (2016) and Brophy et al. (2008) suggest that planning technology-based learning activities with an emphasis on engineering design could effectively implement STEM education and enable students to engage in genuine interdisciplinary integration. Concerning the research on the cognitive structure of technology teachers in engineering design, disparities between engineering experts and novices may influence the focal points of technology teachers in the engineering design process. However, the cognitive structure of preservice technology teachers and their focal points in the engineering design process remain relatively underexplored and represent an important area for further investigation. This study primarily focused on exploring the cognitive structure of preservice middle school technology teachers in engineering design to understand their comprehension of engineering design thinking, and thereby identify the current status and issues regarding their cognitive structure in engineering design. Based on the data analysis of this study, the main research findings are as follows: (1) Preservice teachers who integrated engineering design thinking processes performed better in  defining problems, generating ideas, modeling, and conducting feasibility analyses; (2) Preservice teachers engaging in STEM project-based activities should prioritize learning steps related to modeling and redesign to strengthen their abilities in complex and precision thinking.   In recent years, there has been significant attention given to the issues surrounding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, particularly concerning the imperative of attracting a larger pool of talented individuals into the STEM fields (Holmes, Gore, Smith, & Lloyd, 2017). However, Strimel and Grubbs (2016) pointed out that the implementation of STEM education often neglects technology and engineering, leading to unresolved challenges in cultivating talent in these areas. Addressing this concern, Song et al. (2016) and Brophy et al. (2008) argued that planning technology-focused learning activities centered on engineering design could effectively implement STEM education, enabling students to truly engage in interdisciplinary integrated learning. While technology-focused learning activities centered on engineering design contribute to the implementation of STEM education, the extent to which teachers possess correct cognitive structure of engineering design when conducting such engineering design-oriented practical activities is a crucial research area worth exploring (Atman et al., 2007; Hannah, Joshi, & Summers, 2012). In the realm of research concerning the cognitive structure of technology teachers in engineering design, the disparities between engineering experts and novices influence the focal points of technology teachers in the engineering design process. There is currently a lack of research on the cognitive structure of preservice technology teachers and their focal points in the engineering design process, making it an important topic for further exploration. This study focuses on investigating the cognitive structure of preservice middle school technology teachers in engineering design to understand their comprehension of engineering design thinking. By doing so, it aims to identify the current status and issues regarding the cognitive structure of preservice middle school technology teachers in engineering design, with the intention of assisting them in effectively integrating the engineering design process into technology-based activities when they enter the teaching profession. This is expected to help cultivate engineering design capabilities among more middle school students, thereby stimulating their interest in pursuing future careers in engineering-related fields. Based on the data analysis of this study, the benefits of  STEM project-based activities centered on the engineering design thinking processes are analyzed for preservice middle school technology teachers who received instruction emphasizing engineering design thinking processes (experimental group) versus those who received instruction focusing on technology problem-solving processes (control group). The findings from the instructional activities conducted by the researchers are as follows: (1) Preservice teachers who integrated engineering design thinking processes performed better in defining problems, generating ideas, modeling, and conducting feasibility analyses, indicating their superior engineering design thinking capabilities (see Figure 1); (2) Preservice teachers involved in STEM project-based activities should prioritize enhancing their skills in modeling and redesign stages to strengthen their abilities in complex and precision thinking.   Figure 1. Changes in the engineering design thinking of preservice teachers in the experimental group   Explanation 1: The circles represent different steps of engineering design thinking, with the percentage inside each circle indicating the proportion of preservice technology teachers who possess that particular thinking step. From the diagram, it is evident that before engineering design teaching, there were five missing engineering design thinking steps, all of which showed improvement after the experimental teaching. Explanation 2: "PD" refers to Problem Definition, "IFG" to Information Gathering, "IG" to Idea Generation, "M" to Modeling, "FA" to Feasibility Analysis, "E" to Evaluation, "C" to Communication, "DM" to Decision Making, "R" to Realization, and "RD" to Redesign. Although the instructional approach to the engineering design process currently emphasize complex computational methods, there are still many difficulties in implementation (Linder, 1999). Many teachers in the field find it challenging to execute, primarily citing insufficient time as a reason. Identifying common conceptual deficiencies among preservice middle school technology teachers before class and incorporating additional elements of engineering design thinking instruction would undoubtedly enhance teaching effectiveness without significantly increasing time spent on trial-and-error processes. Engineering design activities can effectively enhance preservice middle school technology teachers' ability to solve real-world problems and to practice and improve their skills and knowledge integration (Cardella et al., 2002; Woods, 1995).   Source: Lin, K. Y., Wu, Y. T., Hsu, Y. T., & Williams, P. J. (2021). Effects of infusing the engineering design process into STEM project-based learning to develop preservice technology teachers’ engineering design thinking. International Journal of STEM Education, 8(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-020-00258-9   Note: This article has been acknowledged on the cover page of the International Journal of STEM Education and ranks second in terms of citation frequency for the years 2021-2022.

In-service teachers' conceptions of mobile technology-integrated instruction: Tendency towards student-centered learning

October 08, 2023

(Provided by National Chair Professor Chin-Chung Tsai and his team from the School of Learning Informatics) Mobile learning has been widely adopted in education in the past decades, and a great deal of previous research has revealed the effects of mobile learning on students' learning. However, few studies have probed teachers' conceptions of mobile technology-integrated instruction. In this study, a total of 25 elementary school teachers in Taiwan were interviewed, and the phenomenographic method was adopted to explore the teachers' conceptions of mobile learning with seven qualitatively and hierarchically different categories (7-T) of mobile learning, namely a “Tool,” “Travel,” “Timeliness/Tutor,” a “Toy,” “Tracking,” “Teamwork,” and a “Tutee.” These categories represent a progression from teacher-centered to teacher-student interaction, and ultimately to student-centered teaching strategies. The findings of this study can provide educational practitioners and teachers with a profound understanding of integrating technology into student learning, serving as a reference for designing student-centered learning activities.   Previous studies have revealed the potential interplay between conceptions of teaching and approaches to teaching, and the significant influences of conceptions of teaching on students' learning achievements. The advancement of technology has reshaped traditional teaching methods, leading to the emergence of new instructional approaches with the proliferation of emerging technological tools. Simultaneously, teacher-centered pedagogical approaches are considered inadequate to meet the rapidly evolving knowledge demands. Consequently, student-centered instructional methods and environments have gained increasing attention. Thus, this study posits that investigating teachers' pedagogical beliefs regarding advanced technology will help clarify and provide appropriate instructional environments. Mobile learning has been widely adopted in education in the past decades (Figure 1), but the conceptions of integrating mobile technology into teaching has received relatively less exploration. In this study, a total of 25 elementary school teachers in Taiwan were interviewed, and the phenomenographic method was adopted to explore the teachers' conceptions of mobile learning. This study revealed seven qualitatively and hierarchically different categories (7-T) of mobile learning expressed by the teachers, namely a “Tool,” “Travel,” “Timeliness/Tutor,” a “Toy,” “Tracking,” “Teamwork,” and a “Tutee.” These categories represent a progression from teacher-centered to teacher-student interaction, and ultimately to student-centered instructional strategies. Among the seven categories, four (i.e., Toy, Tracking, Teamwork, and Tutee) are considered student-centered instructional strategies, and the “Tracking” category had the maximum frequency of teachers’ main conceptions of mobile learning. Thus, mobile technology, if used properly, offers opportunities to facilitate student-centered learning. The results provide educators and teachers with a deep comprehension of advanced technology-enhanced learning for designing student-centered learning activities.  Figure 1: Mobile learning has been widely adopted in education (source: Unsplash)   Source: Chen, C-H., & Tsai, C-C. (2021). In-service teachers' conceptions of mobile technology-integrated instruction: Tendency towards student-centered learning. Computers and Education, 170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2021.104224

Exploring the Hubble tension problem with phantom dark energy

August 09, 2023

【Provided by Associate Professor Wo-Lung Lee and his team】 Recently, the observed equation of state for dark energy appears to favor values below −1. The tendency implies that the nature of dark energy may be quite different from that of the cosmological constant. In view of this, the introduction of the phantom energy seems inevitable. By employing observational constraints from supernovae and from the acoustic scale in which the accuracy of the data has become extraordinary, the research team applied a phenomenological scenario to be acquainted with the evolution of our universe. The demonstration of the constrained unfolding of the phantom energy shows that the model has high consistency with the current observation, suggesting that if it is phantom dark energy that is causing the accelerating expansion of the universe instead of the cosmological constant, then the Hubble constant may be different from the recent observations, and the “Hubble tension” problem may not be as severe as expected.    In the current standard model of cosmology, the dominant component driving the accelerated expansion of the universe is the so-called cosmological constant. However, the Hubble constant derived from the analysis of the primordial acoustic oscillations in the cosmic microwave background within the standard model exhibits a significant discrepancy with the rate of cosmic expansion inferred from observations of recent supernovae events. This "Hubble tension" problem seriously troubles the entire scientific community. Inspired by the trend of observed equation of state for dark energy below -1, our research team constructed a phenomenological model of dynamic dark energy The analysis results from the research team indicate that if phantom dark energy is used instead of the cosmological constant in the standard model, the so-called "Hubble tension" problem is not as severe and may even be resolved. This suggests that researchers must carefully reconsider the reasons behind the recent cosmic accelerated expansion phenomenon, and even consider modifying the standard cosmological model further!     Figure 1: Correspondence between dark energy state equation values and the Hubble constant, and the distribution of errors in the primordial acoustic oscillation scale.   Source: Teng, Y. P., Lee, W., & Ng, K. W. (2021). Constraining the dark-energy equation of state with cosmological data. Physical Review D, 104(8),[A24].https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.104.083519 

A Revolutionary Discovery for Solar Cells

August 09, 2023

(Provided by Distinguished Professor Yann-Wen Lan and his research team from the Department of Physics) In the pursuit of cleaner energy, solar cells are expected to be widely applied in various fields; however, current solar cells are limited in their development due to the low conversion efficiency of light to electricity. To enhance the material's absorption of light, the research team altered the characteristics of light by utilizing twisted light. Photons of twisted light carry an orbital angular momentum. Additional orbital angular momentum is expected to induce more carrier transitions within the material, thereby increasing the material's light absorption and its photogenerated carrier concentration, elevating its potential for application in solar cells. The highlight of this experiment lies in using twisted light to enhance the light absorption of novel 2D material molybdenum disulfide. As the orbital angular momentum of light increments, the concentration of photo-induced carriers rises as well. Consequently, the larger photovoltaic effect in solar cells is enhanced. Based on the results of this experiment, twisted light has shown its potential to become a new approach to enhancing the efficiency of solar cells.   With the increasing desire for green energy, solar cells are highly anticipated; however, the low conversion efficiency has led to a bottleneck in their application. Therefore, improving the conversion efficiency of solar cells has become a very important research topic. Professor Yann-Wen Lan and Professor Ting-Hua Lu from the Department of Physics at National Taiwan Normal University collaborated with their student, Dr Kristan Bryan Simbulan, to conduct related research, the findings of which revealed that light with orbital angular momentum (OAM) can enhance the power generation efficiency of solar cells using molybdenum disulfide as material. This opens up endless possibilities for the future of the solar cell industry. The solar cell component in this study is composed of a transition metal dichalcogenide, specifically molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), which has a thickness at the atomic level. MoS2 is a stable and flexible two-dimensional material that produces a unique optical response. This, and its potential to be perfectly stacked with other 2D materials, makes it a rising star in the semiconductor materials field. The fabrication process involves depositing MoS2 onto a silicon substrate through chemical vapor deposition (CVD), then defining the MoS2 channels using Argon plasma etching, and finally depositing the Ti/Au source and drain electrodes to complete the device. The CVD-grown MoS2 material in the study has a nonuniform defect distribution, leading to n and n+ regions within the material and forming p-n junctions. The simple fabrication process and the potential for large-scale production through chemical vapor deposition lay the groundwork for future industrial mass production possibilities. In comparison with traditional laser lights, the wavefront of twisted light is not flat but instead helical. By adjusting the spatial distribution of the light wavefront through a spatial light modulator (SLM), light can possess arbitrary orbital angular momentum. Additional OAM has been proven to interact with materials and was demonstrated in previous studies to have induced forbidden transitions in atoms and GaAs semiconductors. The OAM in twisted light could thus be used as a new degree of freedom to enhance the material's light absorption, thereby increasing photo-induced carrier concentration. In the case of photovoltaic cells, increased photogenerated carrier concentration can lead to improved photovoltaic properties, such as short-circuit current (ISC) and open-circuit voltage (VOC). Experimental data indicated that with the increase in the OAM of the laser light, higher ISC and VOC have both been measured, demonstrating the potential of enhancing the photovoltaic effect through twisted light. Professor Yann-Wen Lan, with his expertise in 2D materials, nanoelectronics, and device processes, collaborated with Professor Ting-Hua Lu, who specializes in laser physics and optical angular momentum techniques. With support from National Taiwan Normal University and the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), their collaboration spanned over two years, covering the preparation of components, setting up light sources, and ultimately collecting and analyzing measurement data to complete the research project. The discovery of enhancing solar cell efficiency using twisted light represents a ground-breaking advancement, and in August 2021, their research was published in the prestigious international journal, ACS NANO, paving the way for new avenues in the future solar energy industry.  Professor Lan Yann-Wen explained that the current focus of the solar cell industry largely revolves around material development, attempting to absorb a broader range of wavelengths. If this technology could be combined with the aforementioned technique in the future, revolutionary discoveries are only a matter of time. In future research, the team will stack different two-dimensional materials and utilize the degrees of freedom of light on such heterogeneous structures to explore the interaction between light and matter. This has the potential to bring about breakthrough developments in industries such as semiconductors and optoelectronics.   Source:  Simbulan, K. B., Feng, Y. J., Chang, W. H., Lu, C. I., Lu, T. H., & Lan, Y. W. (2021). Twisted Light-Enhanced Photovoltaic Effect. ACS Nano, 15(9), 14822-14829. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.1c04902